October 24 -- American billionaire Warren Buffett earned his wealth by focusing on the long-term value of his investments rather than the short-term pricing of stocks. There is an easy way Alaskans too, can make sane smart, long-term investment decisions that made Mr. Buffett successful: energy efficiency. While it’s not as “sexy” as a shiny new wind turbine or gas pipeline, energy efficiency can deliver a stronger return on investment than the stock market, often times paying for itself in just a few short years. Alaska has a goal to increase energy efficiency 15 percent per-capita by 2020, however in order to get there great strides must be made. As construction booms across the state, I encourage developers to help us reach that goal by channeling their inner Buffett and thinking of energy efficiency as a solid long-term investment for Alaska. When considering energy efficiency upgrades, many building owners are reluctant to take on the additional up-front costs associated with these retrofits. While high efficiency light bulbs, appliances and insulation can increase construction costs by 1 to 2 percent, the long-term payoffs are very real. When looking at the cost of a building over 40 years, experts have determined only 11 percent of a building’s life-cycle costs were associated with construction, while 50 percent came from operation and maintenance -- including utilities. Knowing this, why not invest a little more upfront to reduce your building’s utility costs in the future? >>View Article